"Although I guess if I knew tomorrow,
I guess I wouldn't need faith.
I guess if I never fell, I guess I wouldn't need grace.
I guess if I knew His plans, I guess He wouldn't be God.
So maybe I don't know."
- Jon Bellion.
• • •
Our Physics supervisor sealed our exams paper in the WAEC envelope and put it in the green WAEC back and padlocked it. Aunty Derin gave him biscuits, a bottle of drink and a bottled water. Rachel and I collected his bags and we helped him carry it to his car.
"Thank you very much." He said to us when we gave him his bags as he got to his car.
"You're welcome sir. Have a nice day." Rachel and I said and we walked back inside the school. Rachel kept checking the time on her wristwatch so I had to ask her if everything was okay or if she's going somewhere.
"Are you going out ni? Abi why do you keep checking the time?" I asked her.
"Kind of. I'm going to Covenant Secondary School to see someone." Rachel said.
"Ah. Okay oh." I said and we walked back to the lab. Our classmates already cleared the apparatuses we used and arranged the place. Till this Friday, science students are free. We have two days in between to prepare for our Biology practical which is on Friday. Thank God.
When we were done, we all carried our bags and walked to the hall. Aunty Tosin was holding a class with the Art students. She's their CRK teacher, so apparently, she's teaching them CRK. We entered the hall and went to our seats quietly so we won't disturb her. Our guys dropped their bags and walked out of the class to the field. Rachel carried her bag and left the hall, probably it was time to go where she wanted to go. Biola put her head on her locker and began to sleep, while Glory followed the guys to the field. Left in the hall with the B class students are Lydia, Jetemi, Sarah and I.
Sarah was reading a book. Lydia and Jetemi were discussing while I brought out biscuit from my bag and started eating. I later dragged my chair to where Lydia and Jetemi were seated to join in their discussion.
"But, it doesn't make sense. I wonder how this school will be when our set leaves." Lydia said.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Master Akintunde came to announce that they have a competition next week and instead of him to call the participants from S.S.S. 2 and below, he still came to choose from S.S.S. 3. So, if we leave, will he come to their houses to come and hire them to represent the school?" Jetemi said.
"Which competition again?"
"Our athletes are to run for the school. Football team too are going to play football. Our basketball team too are going for basketball iish, the same day oh." Lydia said.
"The same day ke? But ain't there people that will run and also play football?" I asked.
"I don't know for them oh. The main athletes in our set are Daniel, Adedotun, Demmie, Animasaun, Joseph and Fiyin. For the girls, Rachel, Ella, Adeola, Joy and Glory. These same people have exams ehn and it's all our guys that are on the football team." Lydia said.
"They will train the juniors after you guys leave since they don't have any choice again." I replied and we continued discussing. They were still discussing when I stood up and returned to my seat. I brought out my Phone from my bag and plugged in my earpiece and put it in my ears and started playing songs. About five minutes later, someone tapped me and I looked up to see Jared. I ignored him and continued what I was doing. Seeing that I didn't answer, he removed the left ear of my earpiece.
"What?!" I said to him.
"Principal is talking to you." He said and walked to the other side of the hall where Aunty Tosin was teaching them. I looked up and saw the principal in front of the hall. I quickly removed the second ear of the earpiece and dropped the phone on my table. I stood up and walked to meet him.
"Good afternoon sir." I greeted him.
"How're you doing?" The principal said.
"Fine sir."
"How was your Physics practical?"
"Very fine sir."
"We thank God. I hope you remember you're here because of your exams? Hope you're well prepared for them this time?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. Take care." He said and I nodded and he walked out of the hall. I heaved a sigh of relief and walked back to my seat to continue what I was doing.
Not long after, Aunty Tosin finished with the Art students and she left the hall. The hall became noisy immediately she stepped out of the hall. Our guys also entered and began to play table tennis inside the hall. When the noise became too much, I stood up and took my phone and chair and walked out of the hall. I walked to our class and tried opening the door, it was locked. I walked to B class and opened the door and entered. It was empty, thank God.
I dropped my chair and sat on it. I put my earpiece in my ears again and began to listen to music. I opened Wattpad and started reading the books I saved. I was on it when one of B class girls came in. I looked up and saw it was Joy, then resumed to what I was doing. Just then, she walked up to me and removed one ear of my earpiece. I looked up at her in a 'what?' manner.
"You." Joy said and folded her hands in front of me.
"What do you want?" I asked, looking uninterested in whatever she had to say.
Right from time, I didn't like her to be honest. She was the only boarding house student in the girls hostel together with Lilian. Almost all the time, Lilian complains of her being dirty and rough, both in class and in the hostel. Although she dresses well all the time but what's the point when you dress well but your room or where you stay is like a pig's house. Apart from all that, she's one of those students that never listen in class. She always sits in the back with the guys during our joint classes and disturbs teachers. Sometimes I wonder why she's in the school. Due to all these behaviours and more that I can't even say, I didn't mix with her. Apparently, she wasn't supposed to be a prefect if not that she could run very well. Yes, she's the sports prefect girl.
"If your class boys are not mature enough, teach them how to. Well I'm not surprised sha since the girls in your class are not mature too, including you." She said, her hands still folded as she stood in front of me.
"If you have issues with my classmates, why don't you collect the school's public address system and stand on the podium in the hall and announce what's burning you inside." I replied her calmly.
"Ah. So you can even still reply."
I giggled at what she said. "When God didn't make me dumb, why won't I reply."
"Anyway, I'll get to the point. What's between you and Jared?" She asked.
I looked at her and began to laugh. So, the reason she came to fight me was because of Jared. This one doesn't know what's going on. WAEC is on and she's fighting with me over a boy.
"What else do you think is between us? Isn't it obvious?" I replied as she began to fume with anger.
"You guys are dating?"
"Is that what you noticed? Well, if that's what you noticed, then so be it." I said.
"Do you know Jared is my boyfriend!" She said, raising her voice.
"So, what am I supposed to do?"
"Are you a whore or something? First, you went to Demmie, then you moved to Thomas, then you moved to Daniel, we didn't talk. Now, it is Jared. I definitely won't allow it!" She said and I just chuckled.
So these people have been counting boys for me. I'm a star oh.
"All the above you mentioned, did you ever ask them if I approached them first or they did? Did you also ask them what type of relationship is between us? But no, you came here to open your mouth waaa and talk nonsense." I said.
Almost immediately, she emptied the half bottle of Biggie Tropical she was holding on my uniform and since it was unexpected, I gasped. The drink poured on my phone so I used my jacket to clean the screen. My cream inner shirt has been stained too. I looked at it and I looked at Joy. She gave me a wry smile, dropped the bottle and walked out of the class. I stood up from the chair and noticed my skirt was also wet.
"This is so frustrating. Thank God I'm even done with today's paper." I muttered. I wiped my skirt with my hand though it was still wet. I buttoned my jacket so my stained shirt wouldn't show. I took my phone and put it in my jacket's pocket and turned to leave the class for the tap on the field. Just then, the door opened and Jared came in with Thomas. I wasn't surprised since they live in the same street, so they're pretty close and they go home together.
"Ahah, Demilade. What are you doing here alone?" Thomas said as he walked to me.
"The hall was noisy jor so I came to class." I replied. "What are you doing here?"
"Jared said he's coming to class. He's not feeling fine so I followed him here. I'll use the time to revise our Biology specimens since this place is quiet. Should we do it together?" He asked.
I took a quick glance at Jared who truly looked dull. He was standing beside window with his arms folded, looking at us.
"Yeah. Let's read together." I said to Thomas. "But there's only one chair here."
"Ehn, wait for me. Let me go bring my chair from the hall." Thomas said to me and turned to face Jared. "Should I bring yours?" He asked him.
"Yes, thank you." Jared said. Thomas gave me his notes and walked out of the class. I dropped his notes on my chair and looked at my uniform again as I sighed.
"Why are you this wet?" Jared asked, breaking the silence.
I acted like I didn't hear and kept using my hand to wipe my skirt, even though it had no effect.
"Demi." He called again but I still didn't answer. "You're snubbing me now?"
"Something poured on my uniform, obviously." I said without looking at him.
"Were you sleeping ni? " He asked.
"No." I simply replied.
"Then how come–"
"Guy, what?! Wasn't it because of you your supposed girlfriend came to pour drink on my body?!" I exclaimed, now glaring at him.
He scoffed. "My supposed girlfriend? Which girlfriend do I have?"
"Why don't you ask your classmates if there's someone you owe a relationship?!" I snapped back at him.
"What's wrong with you! Will you just calm down and explain?"
"No, I won't. First, you used me to prove one nonsense and second, your dumb girlfriend came to pour drink on me because she thinks I'm in a relationship with you! For heaven's sake, why would I even be in a relationship with someone so two-faced like you! So annoying ah!" I shouted at him.
"And what did I use you to prove?" He asked, his face becoming serious than before.
"You're asking me. Abeg abeg stop the acting." I replied.
"Who's the person that poured drink on you?"
"You don't know your girlfriend?"
"I said I don't have a girlfriend! So who the hell did it?" He shouted and I moved back a bit, even though we weren't near each other initially.
"Never mind, it doesn't matter." I said and turned as I walked to my chair. I was about sitting when he dragged my hand and pulled me to face him. "Hey! I will report you for harassment now oh."
"Whatever." He said and released my hand. "Who's the person?"
"Why are you so concerned about the person ehn? The first issue I mentioned, you didn't try to clear yourself. What am I even saying? Of course, why will you try to clear yourself when you're guilty."
"I didn't use you to prove anything. I only wanted to show Demmie something." He said.
"And what did you want to show him? That you can get free access to me whenever you want to, since you know I have a crush on you? I mean had."
"You don't, anymore?" He asked, staring at me surprisingly.
"If that's what you heard, yes, I don't anymore. So? That was what you tried to prove right?"
"Who is the person giving you all this false news sef?" He said.
"Will you just answer my question and stop answering me with questions?"
"It doesn't matter anymore anyway." He said and Thomas entered at that point. He was a bit surprised to see us standing close to each other.
"Ahah, so you people are even friends? I've never seen you guys talking in school before sha." Thomas said as he brought in his chair and Jared's.
"Yeah, things happen." Jared said and collected his chair from him. "Thank you." He said and Thomas nodded.
Thomas dropped his chair beside mine and sat on it. Jared looked at me like he still had more to say but since Thomas is already in, we couldn't possibly continue our conversation. He carried his chair and walked to the other side of the class and sat on it. I sat on my chair too and started reading with Thomas. Not long after we started reading, Jared left the class.
"Are you two fighting?" Thomas suddenly asked me after Jared left.
"Who? Me and who?" I asked.
"Jared. His face only looks that way when he's mad at someone." Thomas said.
"Ah, I don't know oh. We just had a little argument, that's all." I replied and someone entered. We both looked in the direction of the door to see Demmie. He walked to where we sat and used his leg to kick Thomas's chair.
"What again now?" Thomas asked him.
"You came to read here and you can't call me. Me oh, your reading partner." Demmie said to him and faced me. "You too." He said and dragged my right cheek playfully. "You can't tell me you guys are coming to read abi? You these two Judases."
"Did we see you ni? " I replied as he released his hand from my cheek.
"You can't look for me abi? " He asked.
"Alaye, if you want to read, sit down and join us. Stop disturbing us jare." Thomas said to him.
"You're rude gan oh, Thomas. Very rude!" Demmie said and hit his head a little while Thomas just shook his head.
"Demmie, go get a chair in the hall and come back." I said.
"Actually, three of us can share–" He stopped talking halfway when someone banged the door. We all looked in the direction of the door to see Joy storming in angrily. She walked up to me but Demmie was kind of in between us, so she couldn't get to my front directly.
"You! You went ahead to tell Jared everything that happened again! How can you?!" She shouted, not minding the presence of the two guys there.
"What? Me?" I asked her.
"You're feigning ignorance now? Abi? What do you even take yourself for? You really went ahead to tell him everything! Gosh, I detest you."
"What's she saying?" Demmie asked me, looking confused.
Most of our classmates rushed in at that moment. I didn't really understand what was happening with the way everyone rushed in.
"I. . . don't know?" I said.
"You don't know?! You really don't?! You. . .!" She moved near me but Demmie held her back.
"What happened, Joy? Talk to me." He asked, still holding her.
"Jared came to the hall and caused a ruckus. He really talked to Joy in the hall and everyone was present. I think it was because of what Demilade told him or something." One of our classmates that were in class said.
"Jared? What did he say I did? I didn't even mention anybody's name to him." I said, defending myself.
"The next time you say that!" She said angrily.
"Guy, Calm down nah. What did Jared say to you?" Demmie asked her.
As I was about standing up, she jerked her hands loose from Demmie and quickly collected the metal ruler Thomas was using. The metal ruler is like a normal ruler but one side is smooth and the other side is like a blade. As she snatched the ruler from Thomas, the book he was holding tore and I was about collecting the book from Thomas when she mistakenly, or should I say intentionally used the blade side to tear my skin. I screamed immediately as blood rushed out of my hand and she dropped the ruler on the floor immediately.
"Oh my God!" She said as she looked scared. Some of our mates rushed to me as I used my other hand to hold my wrist as blood gushed out of the hand. "Demilade, I–"
"What is going on here!" A voice sounded and we all turned backwards. It was the proprietress, our proprietor's wife. Nobody needed to tell us that we were in trouble. She moved closer and saw blood. "What happened!" She shouted as she rushed to me. Nobody said a word as some people started leaving the class so they won't be counted with those present.
Just then, Jared entered and walked to where we were to see what was happening. I looked at him with teary eyes and he looked shocked when he saw my bleeding hand. He rushed to me. "What happened?!" He asked.
"You, you, you, you, follow me to the principal's office now!" The proprietress said, referring to Thomas, Demmie, Joy and I. Then, she looked at Jared. "But first, you take her to the sick bay. I'll meet you two there." She said to him and walked out of the class as Thomas, Demmie and Joy followed her. Jared held my hand as we walked to the sick bay. Before we left the class, those present were already murmuring and discussing about what happened.
________
Y'all should please check out my other book, FIFTEEN YEARS AGO. Thank you so much and God bless you as you do.❤️